According to our observation, more banks require now the actual presence of the legal representative during bank account opening in the respective branch in China. Before, banks often agreed to have the statutory interview with the legal representative by video which seems now to be obsolete.
We were informed that this new practice is based on a recent instruction by the Chinese central state bank.
With regard to the ongoing travel restrictions due to the Covid 19 outbreak, the regulation is particularly inconvenient for such overseas invested companies which keep the legal representative at the headquarter.
Some branches of foreign banks in Shanghai currently still accept that account opening applications are submitted by another person who has been formally authorized by the legal representative, and only request that the original passport of the legal representative is presented to the bank. However, foreign banks may be quite selective with regard to the opening of new corporate accounts.
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Lena Li
Manager
